Reading FC on the ball for Leigertwood

Mikele Leigertwood believes no team in the Championship uses the ball as well as Reading

Share

Mikele Leigertwood believes no team in the Championship uses the ball as well as Reading.

The Royals midfielder has been instrumental in his side’s climb up the table into third place. And the 29-year-old feels that Reading’s resourcefulness with the ball has been a major factor in them recording four successive wins.

He explained: “We don’t play like other teams. We don’t keep the ball for long periods of time, but when we do get it, we’re effective with it. That’s not a fluke, it’s how we play.

“We’re good at soaking up pressure and then going to attack teams.

“We’re also good from set-plays at the moment and we have to play to our strengths.

“We’re a hard-working team and that goes from Feds (Adam Federici) all the way up to big Jason Roberts and Noel Hunt. And whoever comes in puts in a good shift.”

Reading will have to be at their ruthless best when they meet Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday (3pm kickoff).

The two sides drew blanks when they came face to face at Madejski Stadium in October and Brian McDermott’s side have since leapfrogged their former Premier League opposition.

“They started off the season pretty well and now we’ve found ourselves above them in the league,” continued Leigertwood.

“I think a lot of teams try to pass it around now and play that Barcelona-esque style of football. We’ve been solid recently though and it’s on them to come at us.

“I think that’s where our strength lies and hopefully we can hit them on the break.

“We’re picking up goals in vital times in games and that’s important for us.”

And as well as scoring crucial goals, Royals have also tightened things up at the back.

Goalkeeper Federici has kept 14 clean sheets and the addition of utility defender Matthew Connolly has also been a positive in Leigertwood’s eyes.

“He’s looked solid and his distribution has been good too,” added the Antigua and Barbuda international.

“He is fairly young, but it is levelheaded and quite mature for his age. He’s definitely helped us and will hopefully help us some more.

“We have a few QPR guys here, there’s nothing wrong with that though! Kaspars (Gorkss) came in at the start of the season and has helped steady us and Connors has obviously added to that.”